Friday, January 22, 2010

Old Fashioned Italian Soup

Last winter was so unseasonably warm and dry that I resorted to simmering stews while the air conditioning hummed. It just wasn't right.

But not so this year. It's cold, wet and windy. Pouring rain is interspersed with pounding hail. It's the perfect time for a bowl of soothing, steaming soup.

Last Sunday I attended the Soups, Stews and Comfort Foods Class at Old Town Cooking School in Pasadena. This recipe for Old Fashioned Italian Soup alone was worth the price of admission. It's easy, economical, comforting and delicious - all the things a good pot of soup should be.

Susie, I think it would still be delicious as a vegetarian soup. I'd throw in a can of beans (Italian white or kidney) at the end for protein. (As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to add some beans the next time I make this.)

We here in AZ are receiving the rain and storms when you are done with them in CA. I, too, made soup yesterday and just finished having two bowls. It's a great pasta fagioli (sp?) recipe and very easy. I love it.

This is a recipe I will be trying. We make a wonderful sausage pasta sauce with green, red and yellow peppers. What I love about it is it allows you to use a jar of your favorite marinara sauce so I can make it in about half an hour if I suddenly find out I will have company for dinner. I had no idea that turkey sausage has as much fat as pork! I am anemic and trying to find recipes that will help but I won't eat liver no matter how it is prepared.